Aug 31, 2016

Today marks the 30th anniversary of the Huntington Beach riots at the OP Pro surf contest.

It's an easy thing to mock, especially if you harbor anti-pro-contest sentiments. But the larger truth is we should be thankful that no one was seriously hurt, given how chaotic the event was...

Although no one realized it at the time, the use of raw TV footage to round up the alleged perps foreshadowed what would one day become the norm in law enforcement. Remember, this was 6 years prior to the Rodney King beating, which is generally thought to be the tipping point of video becoming a part of the legal process.

It surprised no one in the surfing community that bringing tens of thousands of non-surfing, marginally interested spectators to a beach -- then feeding them beer all day -- would eventually lead to violence.

It surprised no one, that is, except the people running the event.

But to their credit, the officials had the presence of mind to let the final heat (which was going on out in the water at the time) run long in order to minimize the number of people heading towards the parking areas at the moment the chaos broke loose. That decision no doubt saved lives.

What resonated with most surfers at the time, who doubted the value of large surfing events, was the validation of their belief that promoting surfing to "the masses" would surely lead to something unpleasant.

Aug 24, 2016

Here are a few pictures from Costa Rica...Avellanas Beach.
This is my son going out with my Fatty after he broke his board, 20
minutes earlier.

Yesterday I believe
Ollies Point saw its first surf mat ever as everyone out there was
pointing and whispering until I caught an outside set wave (6-7 foot)
and rode it ALL the way to the beach (sorry no pictures, surf was too
good). On the paddle back out hoots and hollers all the way!!

What I do
recall from when we lived here last was the long empty beaches, and since
moving back here from Ireland we've resumed our exploration of these
again in earnest. The last few weekends we've scored sunny sliders on
some pretty fantastic beaches with few other humans about.

Last weekend
was even good enough to coax my partner out for her first session back
in temperate waters. We had the Omni out for this microwave session and
had smiles big and twisted enough to worry the locals...

Aug 21, 2016

“I would love to become a child on the beach once again. It may sound
infantile, but that’s the feeling I long for: to be a child without
care, taking in the immensity of the ocean and still feeling safe.”

Here is a slide show of past New Yorker covers by Sempé that celebrate the pleasure of being at the beach—for children and adults:

Aug 18, 2016

I work for Tracks
Magazine in Australia. I have been meaning to touch base for some time
as I have seen 4th gear flyer surf mats around in my area. I grew up on
surf mats as many grommets have so I have a soft spot for them. It
also happens that we have just finished producing a film that will
accompany an upcoming issue of the magazine with Dave Rastovich surfing
on them. Funnily enough the current issue of Tracks also has Dave
surfing one.

I know there is a bit of interest around surf mats in Australia at the moment particularly on the North Coast. I was
wondering if you would be interested in tapping into this movement and
running an ad in Tracks. I am happy to look at a mix of contra and paid
ad to secure a couple as gifts for clients.

The film soon
to be released is called Sojourn by Nathan Oldfield on the December
issue. I think Nathan actually purchased one off you.

You
are creating a product that is rare in this day - hand crafted. That's
definitely part of the allure. Your story is definitely interesting, so
keep us in loop.

When you are ready to capitalize on the
exposure please give me a shout as I would still like to include a
review in the mag. If that works for you now let me know as I will see
if we can do something in an upcoming issue. Otherwise we can do it at a
later date when you can really benefit.
Anyway let me know if you would like more info or give me a buzz.

I
took the Omni and the Lotus out over the weekend and had a blast. I
seem to be getting the best out of all my mats at a 180 fold on both
flatter and tubing waves, not sure if it's a weight thing as I only
weigh about 70 kilograms?

I've also switched from Dafins to UDT's this week and that's made a huge difference to my matting.

I
ordered a surf mat from you a few years ago for my boyfriend, Ole. He
has the XL. I was constantly stealing it from him because I loved it so
much! He got me the Omni and we both could not be more pleased with both
of the mats! They are so much fun! We love being able to catch a wave
together and not have to worry about bumping into each other like you do
with a board. People constantly ask us what the mats are called. We are
referring your business all the time. I hope some of these people are
contacting you for orders.

I also love the fact that they pack
down so small. Every time I travel I always take my mat and short fins.
We went to Kauai last summer and it was so sweet to have my mat with me!
Way cheaper then trying to take a board since the airlines always
charge a fortune for a big, heavy board bag. Ole and I also mountain
bike on trails to more hidden breaks and take our mats. The mats are
great for tiny and for big waves. So much fun! Thanks again for a great,
versatile product!

Been surfing my “Fatty” for a week now and am simply crazy
about it. Seems like I was "born to mat” as I just seem to intuitively
know what to do and how to react. Was flying by the “boogie” crowd was
great fun. Finally managed to hook up with George last Sunday and we
matted together down at Huntington Beach and it was my best day yet, had
great ride after ride ‘till exhausted.

And now for another request. I will be going to
Daytona Beach for a month in October and will be taking my “Fatty” in
order to abuse that unbelievable 1 -2 ft surf that left us speechless
when we tried to board surf. I have another great friend who is going
and I wish to purchase a mat for him. He is around 5’9”, 160 to 175lbs
and an excellent athlete. Which mat would you recommend? I was thinking
maybe the Tracker?

I
started surfing here in 1964. This year I turn 64. I have bad
shoulder due to 20 years of using a nail gun...carpenters take
note....can't paddle.

First day....no flippers, small waves...didn't work

Second day , got my churchills, small waves...not very exciting.

At Fortunes Rocks, Biddeford, Maine, we had 4' waves yesterday...easily pulled into a four footer...kick only, no
need to paddle...used my flipper to turn, experimented with squeezing
the mat, Got into a flat spot where the ride should have ended, still
going fast, got into a reform...let out a hoot...kept going...

A couple on the beach complimented me on my rides....they saw
me preparing to inflate the mat...they thought it was a yoga
mat!....they got real excited watching me ride.

As
we talked and watched the other surfers, it occurred to me that they
were working way to hard for their waves. Most standup rides that day
were very short. I think I got the longest ride of the day with my
reform.

I ordered the fatty because my preferred method of transportation is my motorcycle, an '84 650 nighthawk.

First,
our friend Cameron Wallace, a long time surfer, recommended surf mats
in general and 4GF's in particular (he has several) when I quizzed him
about various types of surfing. He let us try one (a Fatty, I think) and
took us to La Jolla Shores (he grew up near this beach and visits
often) where we had a blast in 1ft waves!

Really,
everything about the mat suits my idea of what I'd like to get out of
being in the water...I especially like the sense of being able to enjoy
the waves just as they come, and not needing them to be any particular
size or quality. Riding a mat also seems like good way to sort of
side-step the whole hierarchical line-up aspect of surfing without
making myself a hazard to others (like I certainly would with a SUP).

The
mats seem to ride the surf in a more passive and intimate way than
rigid boards do, and are obviously a lot easier to get to the beach.

A good friend of mine Chuck Lambert has
been riding on your mats for a few months and he keeps trying to get me
to go out with him he says they are a blast! He has been surfing for
over 30 years and I was a knee border from the 70s, And our age has
caught up with us, we found ourselves out there on bodyboards having a
blast, then he found these mats, so I'm looking forward to getting mine.
Our wives seem to like the idea as well laugh out loud it gets us out
of the house out of their hair. Anyway have a wonderful day thank you
again.

Took the mat out today and yesterday. Waves didn’t have much shape to
them but regardless that thing likes to haul! I’m stoked for the winter
when we get some better lines. Fastest piece of gear I’ve ever used in
the water. Thanks for the awesome piece of kit!

Thanks so much for getting back to me. I am a 62 yr old
life long passionate surfer, body surfer, diver and paddler, who just
discovered the joy of surf mats. I am a total rookie on surf mats, I
bought a -------------- brand mat ( Sorry I didn’t know any better :-), and was soon
told 4th Gear is the only way to go ), and I am very grateful to be
getting one of your mats.

I am 6’ and 160lbs, and surfing the the mat
all year long, here on the the north coast of MA. I will be riding it in
knee high mush to a little bit overhead and clean, water temps from
high 30’s to low 70’s.

Do you think The fatty is the right choice? Please check out www.humansforocens.com it is a non-profit my surfing
buddies and I started recently.

I don’t remember exactly when I first heard
about mat surfing, but since I’m 61 it may be from being familiar with
George Greenough.

I have family in Encinitas (my nephew) so I go out
every year to spend time with him and his family and we surf together. A
few years ago I was out there and was in Surfy Surfy. I love that surf
shop and remember when it was Long Board Grotto and I know that
building has a long history in North County surf history.

Anyway JP
Pierre introduced me to his dad Peter (Moonlight Glassing) one day. We
started talking and he told me he had shoulder issues and he had been
mat surfing lately. Last year when I was out again I saw Peter in the
parking lot of Beacons and he was about to go in for a mat surf session.
I
started thinking I should have a surf mat in my quiver but just never
got around to ordering one. Then this summer on my vacation in July
while I was surfing I ended up with what I though was a slight groin
pull but it ended up being a hernia. I couldn’t surf or go to the gym
and have been out of the water since mid July. I go for surgery in about
a week and started researching exercise you could do while having a
hernia and to help you recover after surgery. Swimming was considered
something you could do. I thought if I can swim I can lie on a
cushioned mat with less discomfort then a hard surfboard and maybe catch
a few little waves.

I’m going tomorrow though surf doesn’t look to
good. Sunday we’re supposed to have some small 2-3 clean swell. I just
want to get in a few times before my surgery. I’ll have this weekend and
next weekend. Then the following Monday the surgery and a 4-5 week
recovery before I can go back to full activity.

So that’s the long story of why I finally got around to ordering one of your surf mats.
Again thanks for the great service.

Day #1 first paddle out on the Standard. Oak St. Laguna 3-5’
low tide, on the hollow side. First ride, 3’+ easy 2nd gear, floated the
inside pontoon into trim all across the inside section. Then it got
better.

I am so stoked. It completely blows away the ----------- brand mat I was riding. The
textured deck velcros to your chest.

Can’t thank you enough for the Standard. Best ever.. From shitty to spectacular waves…its a smile-maker.

Let me know if you want
me to Yelp it or if there's some other testimonial that could help you.

I used to get flying (and pounded!) on big days at Newport
(late 60's) on my trusty blue/yellow canvas mat. Despite being a
stand-up surfer for decades, I have never forgotten how fun the mat was
and look forward to introducing the thrill to my kids. Don't be
surprised if you get a few more orders from this area!

I'm looking forward to it! I rode a mat for many years when I was in my early 20s while my badly broken leg recuperated. Then got back on my board until few years ago when my damn hip went bung.

I now have a new hip and at 61 I'm going to get back on the waves on the mat.

I
saw one of your mats a few months ago at a little point break north of
here (Gerringong Boat Harbour) when I stopped for lunch one day and
chatted to the owner and watched him ride a few and thought “That’s for
me”.

Funnily enough I also have a Vespa scooter so that’s why I chose that model!

We’ll see if I start a trend here in Narooma (you never know), as I haven’t seen anyone riding one around this area yet.

I rode a friend's classic for the first time today in
Huntington Beach. I had so much fun, came straight home and bought one.
Surf was small today so decided to try something different. Been
surfing for 35+ years....needed that change today, it was awesome!

My
wife was surprised and so stoked to get her mat on her birthday. We
went to the beach that day and she got a little barrel and caught a ton
of waves. She is 100% hooked. I wish I could have got a picture of her
face when she came out of the water. It was priceless.

Just wanted to send along a quick note to say THANK YOU
for an awesome product and probably the fastest build/shipping time of
any online purchase I've ever made. The Fatty is so much fun! Went out
at Steamer Lane on some head high surf and man oh man does it fly. Now I
understand what 'gears' mean.

In
Taiwan now for work but a had chance to ride some waves in the Kenting
area. Nice little beach break in 72 degree water. Loving the mat but I
still have a lot to learn. The fact that it is so easy to
travel with is a huge bonus.

True personal story I wanted to share with you as it has been a really uplifting experience.

I had an old friend show up who went down the wrong road and
went through a lot but has managed to beat the demons and keep to the
straight and narrow path.

Well into clean
living, he would go down and watch me surf. We surfed together as kids. I
got him on the Vespa and he was blown away. Had tears in his eyes
exclaiming I'm like a little kid!!! He catches waves finless, gave him
some UDT's but he still paddles in and rides waves the hard way anytime
there's surf. He's in really good shape.

Being
good and doing the right thing, going to church, the gym can be hard work
and a bit boring compared to the alternative. Mat surfing has been a huge
release for my friend.And a hell of a lot of fun!!

Now if I could only get him to put the damn fins on!!

That being said I need a new Vespa!!! Do I order it through the site? I feel naked without it.

guy at Rincon on a big nasty day, getting waves no one could or would
take....!

I am 74.

My Flyer arrived in 2 days! I am happy as a clam at high tide.

The 4GF is everything and more than I expected, and will get me in the water on "short

board days" which I would otherwise not surf. More days in the water. Thanks so much for this opportunity. I am spreading the word to family and friends. It must be very rewarding to create something for the surfing world go surfing that expands our options, and at the same time makes more waves used that would be wasted.

I just wanted to let you know I am still having a blast on your mats I got a few years ago.

I got a standard, Vespa, and tracker , my friend talked me out of the tracker and has since got lotus I think.

Anyway
I got one of my best days yet it was at Honolua bay, on a fluke I
drove over there of and there was only a handful of guys out. got 20
or so waves. I finally got my first real tube it was about 3 seconds I
tried to just pull high line and let the mat do the rest.

My friend Eric got the Omni, not the lotus. and last summer he got a great tube at Maalaea.

I own a 4th gear classic and ride in
Maine. I an 52, weigh 245 lbs, 6'3" and surf through the winter (air 0,
water 34). I am looking to upgrade with a second mat as I love my
first. In fact I am coming to Santa Barbara in March for a two week
vacation and hope to catch Hammonds / Rincon / Sandspit. It looks like
it has been going off the last few days. Go El Nino. I lived in SB for
a couple of years in the 90's.

I hadn't
surfed for several months since I had double hip replacement so I have
been matting my brains out lately. It is starting to really click (my
friends won't drop in any more for fear of being passed by someone on a
blow up mattress) and it is my intention to mat while I'm in
California. I'm looking for advice on a model and to set an order in
place to be picked up when I arrive in early March. Maine surf is very
much like Santa Barbara only much colder.

As always, I appreciate your time and assistance. You have kept me in the water when I would otherwise have been dry docked.

I’m Holding my line around big and fast breaking sections.Ho! I’m Tracking out of the whitewater lip on a late take off and gliding onto a clean face- no slide outs.

Wow!
Did I just stall back door and set up a chance for a barrel- track
through a crumbly A-frame buried in white water peak and hold my line
into clean shoulder?

Ha!
I’m letting the mat fly off the peak and am gliding across a long
soft shoulder across the flats into the next section and the next;
pretty long ride! Carving cutback even though I tried to drift with both fins out of the water.

It’s going really good! I think this mat holds and carves and does what I feel in the moment, better than anything I’ve ridden, by far.

That was a wonderful surprise to see you in the water! I wish I could’ve hung
around longer to surf with you two, but I had to run off to
kindergarten! My wife and I teach shoe tying to the little tykes in our
friend’s class.

I’ve been meaning to write you forever about
the wonders of the Vespa. It took me awhile to warm up to the new
canvas-covered mats. I really enjoyed how the pure nylon ones felt so
“insubstantial” and weighed nothing, but were such powerful surf
vehicles.

I started using the Omni and Vespa in more beefy and hollower
surf, and have really fallen in love with the Vespa. It tube rides El
Cap like a dream. And the cutbacks are great! (Not there, so much.)

The Vespa is pretty much all I use now, with the old ones just being
back-ups and loaners. I’ve turned on a few people, my buddy Jim being my biggest success story. It’s really fun seeing the other
matters in the water now, mainly I see them at Campus, but I run into
the odd matter now and then at other spots too…

It was very big when I got to Campus Beach this morning, and forceful. It
looked and felt almost too violent and overpowering. It was double
overhead up at the top, and well overhead takeoffs at Poles. Wish you
could have seen how different from yesterday!

I lurked just
inside the pack at Poles, and caught a few which swung wide or when
people fell off. Kenny showed up too, and hung in the same area. Then I
got a really hefty set waves which grew bigger as I rode it, and I
gained speed through a series of sections, faster and faster, rifling
into each one high and from way back. It was spectacular, and I rode it
past the stairs and beyond the water outfall down at the very end of the
point, where you just can't go any farther. I'll describe the mat's
dynamics later. It was the Omni. Then, while I was doing the long
walk back up the point, I saw Kenny get a grand wall and haul ass down
the line -- same deal, connected all the sections and ended up at the
absolute bottom of the point! He had to go home then, so I didn't get to
talk to him about it.

I paddled back out but thing's were
changing. It was still huge, but not as violently insistent. Also, I was
feeling tired. So I caught one more, rode to just inside the stairs,
and cashed out. Quite an epic day, and a whole different mat riding
dimension.

Hope all is well. Just wanted to let you know that I
was able to get the Lotus variant out for the first time in some big
swell at the Lane yesterday and Friday.

My first impression is
that this is exactly what I was seeking for waves head high and above,
you nailed it! It really seems to track well and pull high into the
pocket and stay there. It has much more hold at higher speeds than the
Vespa, which I could definitely feel translating to more drive,
particularly over the sections of the reef where the wave jacks up.

I'm
excited to play with inflation a little more, if anything I think I may
have overinflated. It will be interesting to see if lower inflation
allows it to break free easier for slides and cutbacks, without
compromising speed and positioning. At about a 90 degree inflation, it
was harder to break from the line that the mat wanted to set naturally.

Overall
I am incredibly happy! Thanks again for taking the time to answer my
questions and work your magic on adapting the Lotus for a guy my size!

Super
excited to get the mat. Had a few cheap imitation mats in the past and
I'm happy to be upgrading to yours as I've heard such great reviews.
We're heading to Baja in 2 weeks so I'm excited to let it loose on some
point breaks down there!

Just had to write back to you regarding my experience on my
Standard the past month or more.

As you know the waves have been off
the charts this January and February. Not sure if I figured out the right inflation, or I have just
figured out how to ride this mat, but I have had multiple incredible
session on it.

The best recent was this past (big) Wednesday out at
campus point. I scored lots of waves among crowds of surfers and was
feeling great, but the best was still to come. I picked of a shoulder
to head high wave at the inside point and rode a screaming face all the
way down to poles. The ride did not go unnoticed, as a few folks
commented to me either later that day, or one a few days later when I
saw him.

Even when the surf is only waist high, so long as the face is
fairly steep I am getting great rides on the Standard. I have even
gotten to the point where I can ride through some of the "dead"sections
while the wave reforms and I can take off again.

While
we really need some rain down here in Santa Barbara, I will keep riding
the Standard in the great waves we have been getting.

So I was checking Refugio yesterday, after failing at El Cap to
duplicate my stellar session there the day before. I saw a couple
matters entering the water and thought perhaps, hmmm, Paul and
Dirk? The binos didn't help identify you two, but as soon as I saw a
couple rides I knew it wasn't either of you!

I also noticed a good bit
of oil sheen on the inside and asked a nearby guy in a wetsuit about
it. Turned out he had a 4GF mat too! What the heck is this? Mat
rider convention? The two in the water were his wife and a friend of
hers. He introduced himself as "Greg from Oregon." He was pleased to
meet me, and when the ladies came in pictures were taken, which you may
well have already received.

There also was a buddy of yours, Dirk,
named Phillip. Another guy showed up, I think he said his name was Ara. So, the upshot -- a bunch of
people at Refugio yesterday. And the day before sounded even more
crowded, meanwhile El Cap was funneling like mad with just me and 3
others out. Go figure...

Aug 14, 2016

Rode my Mick Mackie designs fish Monday, and had a break from the
mats...

Tuesday was small but super clean, and just Neal and myself for a
hour before the local crew paddled out.

The mats were still humming down the line, giving us room to crossover even though it was only a couple of feet.

Pam Burridge and a few of the local lads...

This is where we were surfing Sat/Sun...

Loving the ride of the Omni, we are still
scoring plenty of swell and waves this winter. I was lazy last Saturday and didn't check it first up, so by the
time I did the tide was filling in and had a hour before the onshore
kicked, surfed by myself on the Saturday...

...then had Neal join us for the
Sunday surf. The swell had backed off a bit, but still enough to rip the
mat from my hands on my last wave, it rode it all the way to the shore
by itself. I find the canvas decks the best in the large bumpy surf,
plenty of grip for the body!

Always good to have a coffee with the local crew, post surf! Now who said we don't have kangaroos bouncing down the road and drinking coffee?

Aug 12, 2016

It has been a while since my last mail.
My wife Christina and I just returned from some weeks of vacation in the southwest of France.
We had beautiful weather and I surfed every day, most of the time on a mat and occasionally on a paipo. The waves ranged from almost to small to ride to solid 7 feet swell with on- or offshore wind and all combinations thereof.

This year Christina and I spend more time together surfing mats. She has progressed quite a bit and the surfing with her are my favourite memories of this vacation. After one ride on the OMNI she told me how “shocked” she was about the speed that she got. I just replied: “I told you :-)”

Here is a little story that I would like to share with you:
On a day with a particularly nice morning surf, I decided to test a new water housing that I had got for one of my cameras. As we returned to the beach in the afternoon I was really disappointed. The wind was now strong onshore and turned the surf into a week mess with murky water due to the low tide. I didn’t even want to even bother with the camera.

Christina however, positive as she always is, encouraged me try it anyway and so I did.
On top of the really bad surf conditions it was super bright and I couldn’t see a thing on the display. I had no clue where the focus was and most of the time I had to guess if I was recording or not. When I left the water I thought that it was a total disaster.
However, I managed to salvage some of the mostly blurry video material and edit a short and dreamy little video that I call “Rêverie d’été” (a hopefully correct Google translation of “Summer daydream”).

Again and again I am surprised how much fun a surfmat can be in bad surf. You can see it in Christina’s face. It’s real. I don’t know about you but these moments touch me and that fun and joy is the reason I am surfing too.

Aug 3, 2016

No, it wasn't enough, those last three posts. The aptly named SCUMM crew just had to pip in with another drool-inducing vid...

Howdy

This is the prequel to the
prequel, throwback Thursday ...I was at home and noticed the wind had
backed off, drown down to the Island for a squiz, no one out, so rang
and woke up Neal, by the time I had hit the beach and paddled out, a
longboarder had beat me out to the lineup, with Neal following 30
minutes later. Winter and the empty line ups have finally arrived on the
South Coast!

You had Eric in hysterics over the Seppo Wanker
comment, too funny!!! we have too many seppo friends living over
California & Hawaii to piss them off with that comment.

Aug 1, 2016

As if the last two posts weren't a dagger in the heart of Northern Hemisphere mat riders enduring yet another flat summer, ol' Adam just had to forward this, the prequel to their day in the sun.

Thanks Mate!

Howdy Paul

To complete the box set, here
is the prequel. Justin and I paddled out in the dark at 6.30am...our
first 4 waves were to dark to film.

Neal paddled out by 7, and we only
had another 3 stand up riders to share with for 3 hours.

I normally
never lose my mat, but got compressed on a late set wave takeoff...it
finishes with myself on the Island looking for a black mat amongst those
boulders. I nearly gave up looking, and just then the sun shone on a bit
of blue ....so happy, it only took me 40 minutes to swim round, climb
up over boulders, retrieve and paddle back out!